THE REINCARNATIONIST

THE REINCARNATIONIST
Author: M. J. Rose
Copyright 2007
Mira Books
ISBN-13: 978-0-7783-2576-5
ISBN-10: 0-7783-2576-8
$6.99 U.S./ $6.99 Canada
510 pages

I enjoy most books and am thrilled when once in a while, I read one book that is just plain outstanding. THE BLOOD OF FLOWERS is definitely in that category. This is an engrossing tale of the Persian social classes of the time, the religion, the carpets, and the everyday lifestyle. This book truly puts the reader back in time to the 1600s in Iran.

THE BLOOD OF FLOWERS plunges you into the middle of the culture of Iran at this time through a poor country girl, Azizam. When her father dies, Azizam and her mother travel to the city to live with her step-uncle and his family. Adjusting to the life of an upper-class home and city life is a major adjustment for all of them. Also, the freedom of the rich is not allowed to Azizam and her mother as they are treated as servants/slaves in exchange for a safe place to live and food. Fortunately, Azizam has a natural talent in creating and designing carpets that her uncle immediately notices and assists her in becoming a master of her art.

Thrown into this life is the search for a husband for Azizam. Because of her poor background and her father’s death, she does not have money for a dowry. She does have talent though and wishes she were a male so that she could become a successful carpet maker. The culture of the time also accepts sigheh, which is a contract between a man and a girl’s family in that the girl’s family is paid for her services for a man for a three-month period of time. During this time and place, many wealthy men had many wives and children through this temporary wife system. The sigheh is to be renewed every three-months for as long as all agree to this. Yes, the novel is graphic in places, but is appropriate for adult readers.

Warning:
Do not begin this book late at night; you will not be able to put it down.

For a debut novel, THE BLOOD OF FLOWERS is phenomenally well-written by Iranian-American, Anita Amirrezvani.